Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed officials to prepare a state-wide action plan for a potential power and water crisis linked to El Niño conditions and rainfall deficit, warning that the next eight months will be critical for drinking water, irrigation, agriculture and electricity supply.
The direction came during an extensive review meeting with senior officials on the emerging situation. Revanth Reddy called for coordinated action across departments and asked the government to prepare measures to minimise the impact on households, farmers and essential services.
The Chief Minister said public awareness would be central to the response. An awareness campaign is expected to begin after the Dasara festival through television channels, cinema halls and cultural troupes. Officials will be asked to explain the possible effects of El Niño and promote conservation of water and electricity from the village level to the state level.
Revanth Reddy cautioned that the power situation could intensify in the coming days. He said the government was prepared to incur the expenditure required to procure electricity, while noting that power availability in the market was limited. Officials were directed to ensure prudent use of available electricity and examine whether electricity-intensive activities could be temporarily postponed wherever possible to manage demand.
On water management, officials were instructed to assess standing crops and take steps to ensure that farmers did not face shortages until harvesting. The Chief Minister prioritised drinking water requirements while planning the use of available water for irrigation and other essential needs, and called for the conservation of every drop.
The government has identified drought-like conditions in around 215 mandals. The Legislative Assembly has already adopted a resolution urging the Centre to declare the affected areas drought-hit, provide financial assistance and sanction a special package of ₹20,000 crore. The state has also sought an additional 50 days of employment under the employment guarantee scheme, over and above the standard 125 days, for rural households affected by the conditions. Revanth Reddy said the state government was ready to facilitate the additional employment days.
A special meeting with ministers will be convened to examine the impact of El Niño and rainfall deficit, assess areas that received inadequate rainfall and decide on immediate interventions. The Chief Minister also suggested establishing a dedicated war room to monitor the situation continuously and coordinate the departmental response.
Officials were asked to examine the creation of a toll-free helpline through which residents can seek assistance and report problems. Senior officials from the Chief Minister’s Office were instructed to maintain constant oversight of electricity supply arrangements and respond promptly to emerging issues.
CM’s advisor K Ramakrishna Rao, MP Vem Narendar Reddy, Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju, DGP C.V. Anand and other senior officials attended the review meeting. Further decisions on the response, including any all-party committee, will be considered after consultations with ministers.
